


Enough- A Sanders Sides Fan Fiction

by Ericthometer



Series: Sanders Sides- Human AU [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Broadway, Comfort/Angst, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Love Confessions, M/M, Singing in the car
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-06-01 08:54:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15139571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ericthometer/pseuds/Ericthometer
Summary: Roman finally did it. He's made his big break.He has everything he ever wanted, but he can't help but feel something's missing. After running into a peculiar stranger, Roman wonders if maybe everything he ever wanted isn't everything he ever needed.A Sanders Sides fan fiction about fulfillment and satisfaction.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, gals, and non-binary pals. If you could point out any grammatical errors in the comments or bookmarks, that'd be a great help. Thank you!  
> *Comments, bookmarks, hits, and kudos are appreciated!

Roman stood in the middle of the theater. He held his eyes closed and opened them again slowly, taking everything in as if he were seeing it for the first time. The soft glare of the stage lights, the hustle and bustle of the crew and cast, the awe-inspiring elegance of the venue.  
He was really here. Broadway. He made it.  
Granted, he was just an assistant on set, the "coffee guy" as some of the other crew so affectionately called him. That didn't matter, though; just being there was a dream come true. One out of many Roman intended to make so. He wasn't aware he was holding his breath. Roman exhaled softly.  
His romantic stupor was suddenly halted when he felt an arm jab at his side.  
"This may sound odd to you, but your job is a little more than standing in the way. Do you mind?" He stepped to the side to let them through. He found that people tended to be a bit cranky when they haven't had their morning coffee. That and the infamous New York sass everyone there seemed to be so good at. Roman composed himself and went to his unofficial post, the coffee maker. Yep, dream come true.

He spent the rest of his workday delivering various refreshments to the performers. Coffee cups, soda cans, water bottles- Roman ran around backstage so much he had the floor plan practically memorized. It was hard work, but he was lucky; someone thanked him on occasion. Roman didn't have the same working hours as most of the crew and cast, so the day ended much earlier for him, though it was still late.  
As he was gathering his things, he noticed someone walking over to him. He glanced in their direction.  
It was the stage director. Roman found it somewhat odd for the director to be backstage, since rehearsals would be going on for quite a long time today. He studied the man for a moment. He was imposing from afar, but now that the man was closer he could sense a warm, charismatic energy about him, and a rather friendly disposition. He was dressed as one would likely expect a Broadway director to be dressed- sunglasses, scarf, and all-black clothes that seemed to test the line between semi-formal and casual. Roman could understand the scarf to a fault, the air conditioning could get a bit drafty, but the sunglasses indoors didn't make much sense. Maybe it was an aesthetic thing.  
The director took off his shades and held out his hand. "Good job out there today!"  
He was taken aback by this. Getting a compliment, from the director no less. Roman took his hand and shook firmly. "Thank you, sir." He smiled politely.  
"Oh, come now, formalities aren't really necessary. Call me Thomas." Thomas flashed a dazzling smile. "Sorry to catch you on your way out, but I just had to congratulate you on a job well done."  
Roman could barely process this. "W-well thank you, again, Thomas." He paused a moment before saying the man's name, as if it were some secret.  
"Oh," Thomas started, "...one more thing, I noticed the expression on your face when you entered the building." Roman blushed.  
He pursed his lips and leaned casually against the wall. "People tell me I have an 'eye for talent,' so to speak. I saw how you looked at the stage, that gleam in your eye." Thomas smiled at him.  
"Well, I shouldn't keep you. Have a good night." With that he walked off.  
Roman was speechless. Dumbfounded, he replied "You too."  
He stood there for a moment. Roman breathed shakily and headed for the theater entrance.  
"You too?" He thought. That was the kind of thing one might accidentally say to a Starbucks barista after they say "Enjoy your coffee!" or a ticket attendant at a movie theater when they say "Enjoy your movie!" Sure, it wasn't the worst thing he could have said, but still. It was nighttime after all, but considering his work schedule, Thomas would be up most of the night. It was appropriate then, to have said "you too."   
Content with that line of reasoning, Roman looked at his phone as he strolled out of the building. He could always hail a taxi- he had always wanted to do that after all, now that he had the chance, but those could be a bit...unpredictable. He'd just get an UBER.  
Roman opened the app and requested a ride. His apartment was in the Upper West Side, but the streets were...navigable. On good days. He stood there for several minutes, until a potential driver popped up. Roman checked his stats.  
Good ratings, nice car... He looked at the driver's profile picture.  
Oh. Wow. He had purple highlights in his hair, which was styled so that it swept down but didn't cover his eyes. His eyes were deep brown, and striking against his pale complexion. Not to mention his eye shadow. It wasn't ridiculous, but defining nonetheless. His expression was a small half-smile, although it looked like it took some effort not to look forced or fake. It was one of the most adorable smiles Roman had ever seen.  
He looked at the driver's name. "Virgil." It was interesting, but not in a bad way. Unique, he'd rather put it.  
Roman contemplated for a second, and tapped the "request a ride" button.  
He waited for a while, watching the cars go by. Roman glanced at the app again. This "Virgil" guy was kind of cute. He put his phone back in his pocket and looked at the license plate numbers of the cars around him, his face warm.  
After a few minutes, the car pulled over to the sidewalk. It didn't look luxurious or anything, but comfortable. Something reliable that got you from point A to point B. He supposed that was the point.  
Roman entered the backseat after re-reading the plate. For a moment, the prospect that he would be entering into a total stranger's car crossed his mind. It was a little unsettling, but this was what he asked for. He closed the door and clicked the seatbelt.  
"Apartments on West End?" Virgil asked nonchalantly.  
"Yep." Roman replied. He gave the driver a quick once-over, feeling his face get warm again.  
"Sorry if you're late to anything, traffic's bad today." Virgil spoke up.  
"It's fine." He stated. The two sat in uncomfortable silence as Virgil drove.  
"...How was your day?" Roman asked. Virgil raised an eyebrow. People never asked him that, they just sort of stared at their phones the whole ride. He tried to start up small talk sometimes, but his passengers were always unresponsive.  
"Fine. How was yours?" Roman pondered this.  
"It was good." He decided.  
Virgil was perplexed. This guy gave off a pleasant vibe, and looked friendly enough. He might actually have a nice conversation with a normal person. Imagine that. The only conversations he ever really had with riders were long stories.  
He asked the man his name. Sure, he could have checked his phone, but traffic was picking up.  
"Hey, what was your name again?" Ugh. Of course he had to ask such a dumb question. It probably came off as rude, of course he would be so careless as to forget his name. It was on the app- he just saw it a few minutes ago!  
Calm Down. Breathe. Focus on the road.  
Virgil had a tendency to overreact to things like this, but he was getting better at reminding himself to calm down. He heard his passenger speak. "Roman. Your name is Virgil, right?"  
"Yeah."  
Wow. He hadn't heard anyone actually say his name in a long time. Most people he had to deal, err, "work" with, weren't ones for pretense.  
"I like it." Roman said smiling. Virgil tapped the steering wheel, thinking of a conversation topic.  
"So..." he started, "do you live in the city, or are you a tourist?" He assumed the guy lived at the apartments, but he could have just been visiting or something. It was an ice-breaker either way.  
"Oh, I live here, but I've only been for a little while. I haven't actually seen very many of the attractions outside of work."  
"Where do you work?" Virgil asked casually. In retrospect, it sounded a bit creepy, but he was just trying to have polite conversation. If Roman found it weird, he'd probably just stop the conversation and the two would drive in silence. That was fine, he was used to it.  
"The Broadway Theatre." Roman said. He hoped he wouldn't give off the wrong impression.  
Virgil made a quizzical face. "The Broadway? Like, THE Broadway Theatre? You work there?"  
Roman couldn't help chuckle. "Ha-ha, yeah." His driver was genuinely confused.  
He paused and gave Roman a sideways glance. "You're not some really famous actor I've never heard of, are you? I'd ask for your autograph, but I don't have anything for you to sign."  
Roman laughed and it spread to Virgil, smirking. "No, I'm just an assistant on set. Coffee guy."  
He smiled. "Oh, okay." He stared at the hectic metropolitan life around him. The people milling about, the cars on the road, the endless billboards and signs- this was NYC. So much going on at once, and in the middle of it all, two people in a car having a conversation. He loved his city.  
"Hey, Roman, you said you haven't lived here long, right?" He nodded with an audible "Mhm."  
"Hmm. Well, the longer you live here, you tend to pick up on things. I've been here my whole life, so I can give you some pointers if you're up for it."  
"Sure." Roman leaned forward.  
"Okay. First things first, survival. If baseball is ever brought up- Yankees over Red Sox, every time. It doesn't matter if you don't know anything about baseball, the whole state'll have your back." He felt comfortable to joke around a bit more now; there was a relaxed atmosphere between the two of them. It was nice.  
Roman nodded again, with a look of mock skepticism. "Second, NEVER feed the animals in Central Park. Unless it's a cat, but they're a rare exception."  
He snickered. "Don't even feed the birds or squirrels?" "NEVER." Virgil said gravely, a smirk coming through nonetheless. "At first it's a squirrel or a couple of pigeons, then next thing you know, you'll have the Central Park Zoo following you around."  
Roman snerked.  
"Okay- okay, Thirdly, and this is my last tip of the day, steer clear of the Hudson and East Rivers. Only ever take a ferry out on the water if you're going to visit the Statue of Liberty. No one knows what lurks in those murky depths." He cast a far-off gaze as if he were an old lighthouse keeper reliving a troubling flashback, but it ended as soon as it began.  
A jokingly ominous stillness filled the air as they sat in reverent quiet. The two cracked up.  
Traffic crept to a standstill and Virgil checked his phone. Only a little while 'til they got to their destination. The side of his mouth downturned at the thought.  
After more joking and small talk, they pulled up to the curb.  
Roman unbuckled his seatbelt and put his hand on the door handle. "That was fun. Thanks." He got out his phone. "Five stars." Virgil looked at him in the rear-view mirror. He tried to contain his surprise, but his eyebrows raised imperceptibly.  
"Yeah, you too." He took out his phone as well. "Five stars."  
With that, Roman parted from the vehicle, and Virgil pulled back into the road proper.


	2. Chapter 2

Virgil drove here and there for a couple more hours, chauffeuring day-drunks and random strangers as he wove through the city streets.  
Most people would become desensitized to the sights of Manhattan, but not him. Even since he was a kid, he would sightsee every chance he got. The city sprawled with so many things to experience and discover, and despite growing up and driving the same streets day to day, it never lost its' magic. It was a cathartic sense of wonder that had captivated him for so many years, and a pleasant distraction from the mundanities of life that so often caught up with him when he retired to his little Brooklyn apartment.  
It was late in the evening as Virgil pulled into the apartment's parking garage. He exited and locked the car in one swift motion, speed walking to the residential area.  
Virgil didn't want to stick around for whatever shady activities occurred after dusk.  
He got to his apartment and unlocked the door, closing it slowly behind him. Virgil inhaled and walked over to his bed, flopping onto it. He exhaled into the sheet, groaning.  


Work was degrading. All he ever did was sit and drive, not to mention the stress of having some rando sit in the back of his car every time he accepted a ride request. It was like a cubicle job, in a way, except people in cubicle jobs didn't have to sit through New York traffic, or have another person in their "office," or have their livelihood hinge on how many stars said person gives them.  
As Virgil laid there, his thoughts drifted to that one passenger he had earlier. Roman.  
He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about him- some sense of charisma or charm that could make someone melt if they stood near him long enough, and a sunny, kind disposition that gives you the impression that he'll do anything to them smile. Virgil wasn't sure how that made him feel, but it did give him a fluttering sensation in his stomach and an electric hum throughout his body.  
He shook the thought out of his mind as he meandered over to the kitchen.  
"What's for dinner?" he mumbled to himself.  
Virgil rummaged through the pantry and refrigerator, humming a song he heard recently. He looked through the refrigerator and found some leftover takeout.  
"Chinese again." Virgil said, as he took out a to-go box and a fork. He sat down on the couch and turned the television on. After switching through a few channels, he settled for a documentary show playing on the History Channel. He propped the couch into a reclining position and watched.  
"...Both the Roman Republic and Empire invested into many public works projects, such as provision of grain to its' citizens and the construction of roads, aqueducts, public baths, and amphitheaters."  
Virgil blinked, chewing absently on a noodle hanging partly from his mouth.  
Roman. Theater. Seriously?  
His thoughts again returned to his new acquaintance. Virgil wondered briefly if he would ever see him again. A pity, considering how massive the city was.  
He decided he had better stop before he developed a crush.  
Hmph. "Before."  
Virgil finished his dinner and prepared to go to bed early.  


He laid in his bed once more, pre-nightly activities all finished, and found that sleep eluded him. Virgil heaved himself out of bed and padded over to the window.  
He opened it slightly, and gazed at the shining lights of the city. His apartment didn't have the best view, but it was hard to find a place in the city at night where artificial stargazing was impossible.  
The air was cool, and carried the distinct and yet still far off scent of dusk. Virgil folded his arms and rested them on the windowsill. Everything was quiet and still, if only for a moment.  
Nodding his head contentedly, Virgil closed the window and slid back into bed.

Roman sauntered to the front door of his apartment building, his shoes tapping against the pavement. It was odd that he found his ears focused on that sound in particular, and his eyes leisurely glancing around at whatever caught their attention for a moment. Usually Roman would look around with abandon, and fixate on all details around him at once. It was a pleasure that he could channel this state of mind nearly anywhere he went; it could extract the hidden beauty in even the dullest environment. Now, however, his mind seemed too preoccupied to enter that state, as if he were in the middle of some daydream that his active conscious would not grasp. The ever-present tapping of his shoes were practically the only tangible thing he could process.  
Roman went into the foyer of the apartment building, as a familiar uncomfortable feeling crept up his spine. The building was host to many luxury apartments, but had a sparing few that were slightly more affordable at the cost of quality.  
He occupied one of the few.  
Although he was a resident, it still felt awkward to stroll through a high-end foyer and get into a fancy elevator in casual clothes. There was an unspoken rule that a certain sense of decorum was expected, but Roman couldn't afford "decorum."  
He felt calmer now that he was in the elevator, his privacy given back to him from the prying eyes of the judgmental so-called socialites that he shared the building with.  
Roman stood in the elevator, watching the numerical floor display. The elevator did not possess any lavish extravagance or archaic elegance- it was simply a modern elevator. It possessed the usual features of a generic elevator, and was indistinguishable from one in, say, a shopping mall or an upscale office building. It was simply a normal elevator, among all this unnecessary excess. He could relate to it in a way.  
Roman imagined how the other tenants thought of him as he stared at the numbers go up. He figured it must be like vacationing in a charming forest cabin-on-the-lake and finding a raccoon rooting through the trash. Except he didn't root through the trash that much.  
He smirked as the elevator reached his floor, and he walked to his apartment.  


As Roman came upon the door, he caught a glimpse of one of his upstairs neighbors. They were ostensibly bouge, and wore the kind of on-brand clothes that make you embarrassed when you think about your credit score. He gave a restrained smile in their direction and hastily went into his suite.  
"Home suite home." Roman thought to himself.  
He traipsed about the apartment, looking for something to do. Roman's gaze settled upon a shelf holding a sparing amount of books. He had dubbed it a bookshelf several weeks earlier, but it was severely lacking in the "book" part of the epithet.  
He perused his fine collection of literature and chose a volume he'd received as a going-away present. Roman hadn't actually read it yet, but he had some time to kill. He found a comfortable seat on the sofa and examined it. "The History of Poetry." Roman fancied himself a creative type, so he opened the book up and read.  
A particular line of text stood out to him after a while. "Arguably the most famous literary work in ancient Roman culture was the epic 'Aeneid,' written by the poet Virgil between 29 to 19 B.C."  
Virgil. Just like his UBER driver. For a moment, the thought of an ancient Roman poet driving an UBER popped into his head.  
He felt a small chuckle reverberate though his chest as he set his book down and set about preparing dinner.  


Roman shuffled about the kitchen, finding spaghetti ingredients and sorting them for utilization. The good thing about cooking spaghetti for one person is that there were leftovers for at least the next day.  
He pursed his lips at that thought, but ignored it and poured the noodles.  
Roman ladled some spaghetti into a bowl and procured a large Tupperware container, shoveling the excess pasta into it. He took the bowl and a fork and resumed his position on the sofa.  
Roman set them down and picked up a remote, flipping through television channels. He gave the channel buttons several clicks before he found something good. His viewing of the program and consumption of dinner ended abruptly as a call rang out from his pocket. He answered.  
"Hello?"  
"Hi, Roman! Are you busy?" He knew it was Patton from the contact, but he still brightened up as he heard the man's voice. He actually hadn't for a while now.  
"Hi Patton!" He said ecstatically. "No, no, I'm not busy."  
"That's good." Patton said. "So... How's New York City treating you?"  
"Oh, just fine. Some of the locals are an... acquired taste, but I've met a few very nice people."  
"Well, good! Have you done anything interesting recently?"  
"Um. I made some spaghetti for dinner." Roman figured he'd humor him.  
"Oh! Did you use cumin?"  
"No, I forgot."  
"What do I always tell you? You've got to use the cumin!" Roman bobbed his head up and down with each syllable, audibly murmuring the line. They laughed.  
"Haha, but seriously..." He continued. "The director over at The Broadway told me I did a good job today. I also met a lovely UBER driver. He was pretty funny."  
"Ooo, spill! What's his name?" Patton asked teasingly with a lilt.  
Roman smiled. "His name's Virgil. Don't make a thing out of it, we just shared a conversation."  
"Hmm. Okay. I like the name; it's... different, but I like that it's different."  
"Yeah, me too." Roman heard some muffled speech in the background.  
"Is that Logan?" There was a murmur on the line for a second.  
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, he's here. Do you want to talk to him?"  
"Sure."  
Roman heard a shuffling sound as the other end was handed over.  
"Hello, Roman." Came a familiar, matter-of-fact voice. He knew it well.  
"Hi, Logan. How are you?"  
"I'm fine, and you?"  
"Good." There was a slightly uncomfortable silence.  
"Patton and I have missed you." He was surprised at that remark. To come from Logan, Mr. Logic, of all people?  
"I- I've missed you guys too." Roman put more sincerity into that than he expected. He became eager to change the subject. "Um. How...how is Florida nowadays?"  
"It's fine. Nothing too exciting."  
"Well, it could be worse." Roman said as he put an optimistic tone in his voice.  
Logan sighed. "Yes, I suppose."  
There was quiet.  
"Listen, Roman, are you... okay, financially?"  
"Yeah, Logan, I'm fine. I have all my insurances and the bills are all paid."  
"Yes, but your job security?"  
"Logan, you worry too much." Roman said, half-calming himself. "Until I can go into acting, I'll be a set assistant. I already have everything I need, I just got to get the proper connections." He heard what he figured was Logan tapping on the phone.  
"I'll be fine Lo, I promise." Roman said reassuringly.  
Logan sighed out his nose. "So be it. But if you ever need any extra money..."  
"I know who to call. Really, It's okay- I can fend for myself."  
"Hmm." He replied. "Anyway, I have some news you might find intriguing."  
"Oh?" Any news Logan found intriguing must be quite interesting. Or very boring. It was hard to tell what would come out of his mouth next, that one.  
"Patton and I will be-" The sentence suddenly cut off.  
"No, don't tell him yet! I want it to be a surprise!" Apparently Patton came back.  
"If I shouldn't tell him now, then when?"  
"Later!"  
Logan harrumphed, dissatisfied. "Okay, well I should be going, I'll hand you back to Patton."  
"It was nice talking to you, Logan." Roman said.  
"Likewise." With that, the phone was given back to Patton.  
"What's this surprise I heard about?"  
"Never mind that. Sorry to cut this short, but I should be off."  
"Okay. Thanks for calling, Pat."  
"Thanks for answering, Ro. Bye now."  
"Goodbye."  
The call ended, and Roman went back to his spaghetti. He finished it, did the dishes, and went to bed.  



	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When the phrase "the Broadway" is used, it is referring to the Broadway Theatre.

Roman walked on the pavement, dodging and weaving around people in bustling numbers going which-way and wherever. He moved with purpose and increasing speed as he neared the theater. The bus stop was a ways back, but he still managed to get there early. It was a hassle to wake up at the crack of dawn, but Roman liked being early; he was able to anticipate the morning rush. The sky was overcast, and it looked like it could rain any moment.  
He didn't bring an umbrella.  
Roman speed walked after feeling a few premature raindrops come down, until he got to the theatre lobby. He patted himself dry, and made his way to his workstation.  
Roman stopped in the auditorium, looking around briefly. He loved seeing at the venue- everywhere he looked, it seemed as though the building was a grand combination of opera house and movie theater. Roman bounced on the balls of his feet in a singular motion, and resumed his walk.  
"Hey!" He heard from a ways to his side. He turned to look for the source. Sure enough, it was Thomas.  
"Hello, Thomas."  
"Hi Roman!" He said while crossing the distance between them. Thomas was wearing a similar outfit to what he was wearing yesterday, shades and all. "Do you have a minute?"  
"Um, sure."  
"Excellent! Follow me, please." With that, Roman was steered off course to the director's office.  
Once there, he paused as Thomas entered. "This is actually rather embarrassing, but..." Thomas started. "...I actually forgot your name yesterday; I'm sorry if you had told me already." Roman remained quiet.  
"I looked through the staff roster, and asked around, but I could not for the life of me figure it out." He rummaged around his office almost feverishly, opening cabinets and sorting through papers as he spoke.  
Thomas abruptly snapped his head in the direction of the doorway. "Sorry about the mess, it's terribly untidy." He made an apologetic face and immediately went back to shuffling about.  
"Anyway, I finally figured it out when looking through some paperwork...which should be here somewhere..." Thomas mumbled that last part, deep in thought.  
"Ah!" He suddenly exclaimed. "Here it is!" Thomas went to his desk and procured a folder, and a few loose documents. He turned to Roman enthusiastically.  
"I found your resume, as well as your, um..." Thomas glanced at the papers. "...affiliated documents." Roman wasn't sure where he was going with that.  
"Oh, don't be embarrassed, I was impressed! Turns out, you have all the qualifications to be an actor. Headshots, acting school- the whole shebang." He laughed a little to himself; he didn't expect a professional Broadway theatre director would say something like "the whole shebang" in such a casual, nonchalant way. Then again, Thomas likely wasn't the kind of person to conform to your expectations.  
"It looks like all you need is an agent..." He winked. "...and an opportunity. Luckily, I can provide both."  
Roman raised an eyebrow. "Sir?"  
"Oh, dear. I must sound so presumptuous to you, don't I?" Thomas brushed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry if that's the case. I suppose I should just ask plainly. Um. Roman, would you like to be a Broadway actor?"  
It was a dream come true, but, like a dream, it seemed too good to be true. There had to be some catch.  
"Might I ask something before I give my answer?"  
"Of course."  
"Why me? I mean, I'm very flattered that you would consider me for..." He hesitated. "...that position, but I can't help but wonder why. It's all happening so fast, you know? And going from a set assistant to a Broadway actor is a very, err, large transition."  
Thomas looked at him for a moment and smiled warmly. "I see potential in you. Every time I see you, you're looking at the stage. There's a longing in those eyes, I can see it. I looked over all your papers- you've worked so hard to get here! All you need is a little help to get what you've been working for. I don't mean to pressure you Roman, and you don't have to give me an answer yet. Just know that the offer is always available."  
Roman thought it over for a while. "I don't think I can give you an answer right now, but I'll get back to you. May I ask another question, if you don't mind?"  
"Sure."  
"What exactly does it entail? Aren't there a lot of technicalities behind all this?"  
"Yes, but the process is relatively streamlined, considering you have a reference." He pointed to himself. "You just need a contract and an agent. I can have legal draft it up, and I have some connections at the agencies."  
"I see." Roman said, breath quickening from excitement. "Well, I'll give you my answer tomorrow." He said firmly.  
"Alright. By the way, have you had breakfast today?"  
"Uh, yes. Only a small one though." He admitted.  
"Okay." Thomas replied. "You can help yourself to anything in the fridge." Roman hadn't noticed, but there was a mini-fridge near his desk. "Mini-" probably wasn't the right prefix; it was basically just a slightly-smaller-than-normal refrigerator.  
"Thank you." He went to the fridge and picked something out quickly, not wanting to intrude.  
"You can help yourself anytime." Thomas said as he sat down at his desk.  
"Thanks, again."  
"No prob."  
Roman left the office, trying to be as least awkward as possible and failing. He had picked a muffin, one of those plastic-wrapped types. He didn't think muffins were usually refrigerated, but it still tasted good. Roman got to his station and prepared to work.

The day went on as normal- bring this to that person, that to this. He turned over Thomas' proposal in his head as he went back and forth, staring at the stage every time he saw it. Roman ended the workday discreetly, silently moving to the lobby.  
It was raining. Hard.  
He forgot to bring an umbrella. Roman swept his hand over his forehead and hair, annoyed. Leaving the lobby, he tried to cover his head with his arm, but, as expected, it was futile. Roman resolved to get to the bus stop as fast as possible; at least he could wait under a roof. He walked absently, mind wandering. He really needed to get home and just think. NYC does that to you sometimes.  
Next thing Roman knew, he was on the ground.  
"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry, are you okay?"  
He looked at the man in front of him. He was, too, on the ground, if only for a moment, but quickly got to his feet, using the wall of a building for leverage. An open umbrella laid dripping heavily on the pavement, but the man caught it up by the handle.  
"Here, lemme help you up." The man offered his hand, leaning towards him. Roman gazed up at his face, and extended his hand gingerly.  
With a little effort, the guy hefted him up.  
"Thanks." He noticed the unmistakeable purple highlights and eyeshadow. "You look familiar. Virgil, right?"  
"Yeah. Roman?" Roman nodded.  
"Sorry again for running into you. Literally."  
"It's fine; I wasn't looking where I was going."  
Virgil glanced at his umbrella. "It's really pouring out. Um. Here." He extended it to the other man. "Think of it as an apology present."  
Roman giggled. "Don't be ridiculous. It's your umbrella. I'm going to the bus stop anyway, so I won't really have a need for it."  
"I see. Well would you like me to, uh, walk you there? I mean, we're already soaking..." He pointed to their wet clothes. "...but there's no use in being drenched."  
Roman reddened a little at the implications. "If you want to."  
Virgil nodded slightly and they walked in unison to the bus stop. Roman noticed that the umbrella was only really keeping him dry.  
"We could share the umbrella." He suggested meekly. Virgil tilted it in between them.  
"I'm sorry if I'm wasting your time- like if there's somewhere you need to be..." Roman said.  
"No..." Virgil interjected. "I'm on a free day for work, so I was just wandering."  
"Okay."  
They were silent for a little time before he took a breath and spoke again. "I hope I'm not imposing. Like, if I'm bothering you or making you feel uncomfortable, you can tell me to go away, it's fine."  
Roman regarded him, and made a small, courteous smile. "You're not. Really, I think it's nice. Thank you."  
He thought he saw Virgil blushing, but he turned his head before he could get a good look.  
"How was your day?" Virgil asked hurriedly.  
"It was fine." Roman bit his lip. "Err, well... maybe I could get your opinion on something?"  
"Sure."  
"Okay. You remember how I told you I was a set assistant at the Broadway?  
"Yeah?"  
"Well, the set director, who's, like, 'technically my boss,' offered to give me a, um, promotion, I guess you could say."  
"Go on."  
"You asked me if I was a really famous actor yesterday. I found it funny because I've always wanted to be one. I went to acting school, did community theatre, all that. I finally moved out here to get an acting gig, work up from there." He made eye contact with Virgil, and a moment of understanding passed between them. Roman then turned his gaze to the street, observing the lights in the rain.  
"When I applied to be a set assistant at the Broadway I thought it was a golden opportunity. I guess it turns out I was right." Virgil raised an eyebrow.  
"The director wants to make me a bona fide actor." He left that hanging in the air for a moment. "Apparently he looked over my resume and stuff like that, and pretty much said he can get me an agent."  
They walked quietly, Virgil deep in thought. The incessant tapping from Roman's shoes on the pavement came back, but the slight dissonance between his footsteps and Virgil's was actually kind of calming.  
"Wow." Said Virgil. That summed it up pretty well. "What did you say to him?"  
"I said I'd give him my answer tomorrow." Roman looked at him again. "Kind of impulsive of me, I know."  
"Hmm. You want my opinion?"  
"Mhm." He said, meaning yes.  
"Smells like free money." Roman snerked.  
"What?"  
"The way I see it, you'll get a higher paycheck, and you'll be doing what you want. I'd say go for it, but be cautious, you know? Be sure to read your contract, and keep a look out. I don't mean to be paranoid, but it sounds either really good or really suspicious."  
"Okay, thanks." The bus stop came into view.  
"I actually like the rain." Virgil said.  
"Me too." They got to the bus stop, and Roman reluctantly left the protection of the umbrella for the metal booth.  
"I guess this is where I must depart." He said.  
"See you around." Virgil turned to leave. Roman tapped his hand in thought.  
"Um, actually..." He said, getting Virgil's attention. "I was wondering if you would like to... exchange numbers?"  
He stopped, facing away. Roman thought of something to respond in case the question went poorly.  
"Yeah, okay." Virgil sat next to him. They exchanged numbers and he stood.  
"Bye, then." Virgil said, and sauntered off into the streets of Manhattan, umbrella in hand, slowly fading into the background of a countless crowd and a rainy day.


	4. Chapter 4

Roman barely had time to put a slice of bread in the toaster before the phone rang. He went to the home phone, and checked the number on its' display screen. Patton. He didn't usually call so early, so Roman wondered what it was about. He picked up the phone at the second ring.  
"Hello-o?"  
"Hi Ro!" Patton said with an excited lilt.  
"Hi, Patton!"  
"Good morning! Sorry if I woke you..."  
"No, I was just making breakfast."  
"Okay. So, you know the 'thing' Logan was talking about the other day?"  
"The 'thing' you told him not to tell me?"  
"That's the one. Sorry for leaving you in the dark, but I wanted it to be a surprise."  
"I heard. So, what's this surprise, if I may inquire?"  
"Logan and I are going on a vacation! Guess where."  
"Um... The Bahamas?" Roman said, excitement growing in his chest.  
"No, guess again."  
"Austria? I hear the Alps are quite nice this time of year."  
"Logan would probably like to go there, but no. Would you like me to tell you?"  
"Don't mean to sound crass, but isn't that the point of this phone call?"  
Patton simply laughed. "You sound so much like Lo sometimes."  
"I do not." He replied, exaggerating the hurt in his voice.  
"Hmm. Whatever you say." Patton said, teasing. "Anyway, we're going to New York City for the weekend!"  
Roman put a hand on the phone speaker and did a quick little happy dance.  
"That's great! Do you need anywhere to stay?" He said, taking his hand off.  
"Well, Logan wants to get us a hotel, but they're pretty expensive. Are you sure you wouldn't mind us staying over?"  
"Patton, you're my best friend for crying out loud! Of course I'll let you stay over!"  
"You forgot an 's.'"  
"Huh?"  
"An 's.' Logan's your best friend too, don't lie."  
"Best friend-'s.' There, I only said it for you, though."  
"Sure, okay. Anyway, I'll ask him about it, see what he says. If we do get a hotel, it doesn't mean we won't visit you!"  
"It had better not!" Roman said with fake sternness.  
"Oh, we're coming up to the airport, so I've got to let you go."  
"Okay. Have a good flight, you two."  
"Thanks. Hey Lo, would you like to say bye?"  
"I'm driving." Logan stated.  
"I'll put it on speaker and hold it up for you." Evidently he did just that.  
"Bye, Roman. See you tomorrow, probably."  
"Bye, Lo."  
"You know I despise when you say 'Hi Lo,' and 'Bye Lo.'"  
"I know." Roman said laughing.  
"Alright, bye kiddo!" Patton took back the phone.  
"Bye, Pat."  


Roman had a sinking feeling in his stomach as he sat in the bus. He had to do a deep clean of his apartment when he got home, text Virgil because he forgot to yesterday, (he wasn't getting away that easily) and make a life-altering, career changing decision. Sure, he had wanted to be an actor for as long as he could remember, but actually making the decision to be one was daunting. There was something ironically philosophical in the situation, but it was probably not the best thing to address when you're absolutely terrified, all things considered.  
Roman made a beeline for Thomas' office, determined. The door was closed, but he could tell the light was on inside. He knocked. Light footsteps reverberated through the floor as Thomas' door opened.  
"My, you're here early." He said coyly.  
"Yes sir, I've come to talk to you about my, err, decision."  
Thomas half-smiled. "I've told you time and again about the 'sir' business, but we have more pressing matters. Take a seat in front of my desk and we'll see what we can do, eh?"  
Roman sat. "You know Thomas, you're quite charismatic."  
"Oh, pish-posh! Flattery will get you nowhere."  
"Uh, I'm sorry-"  
"No, no. I'm sorry. Business mode, you know?" Thomas said apologetically. He adjusted his shirt collar.  
"Alright, that's better. And, erm, thank you for the compliment. Anyway, let's get to paperwork." They flipped through multiple pages, and discussed.  
"Okay, good, everything's settled. All we really need is for you to sign a contract..." He took a sheet of paper out of a drawer, and looked Roman in the eyes, dead serious.  
"Are you absolutely sure you're willing and ready for this?"  
Roman wanted it so badly. So, so badly. Every fibre of his being wanted this. He would not let all his years of acting school and theatre work go to waste.  
"Yes." He said firmly.  
Thomas gave him the pen, and Roman signed. "It's official." Thomas said. "Naturally, we'll have more paperwork and things to discuss, but we'll table that. Now, we can't have you in our current production for...obvious reasons, but I can probably put a word in edgewise and get you a supporting role in the next one. We'll be starting next week, so be prepared. As for an agent, I'll ask around."  
"Thank you, Thomas." Roman said gratefully. "This really means a lot."  
"Don't mention it."  
He got up and took his leave. "Hold on..." Thomas called softly. Roman stopped in the doorway. "...I know it is considered, should I say, 'unfashionable,' to have a relatively casual relationship with your boss..." He raised an eyebrow. "...But I hope that, in due time, you will come to consider me a friend."  
Roman smiled warmly. "You appear to be mistaken Thomas." Thomas winced. "I already do."  
He blushed slightly, but Roman interrupted before he could say anything. "I should be off, but I'll see you around."  


The rest of the workday was same as before, but Roman's glances at the stage felt as though they took on a new meaning. Soon, he would be up there, looking out. The longing that Thomas had mentioned was almost tangible now, but with it a twinge of hesitation. There was a sort of mysterious reverence that he had long since attributed to that dream of his, to see it from the other side, but it occurred to him that, once it came true, it may have been just that all along- a dream, and nothing more. It was a distressing thought, but it came and went. Roman finished the day, and walked out of the theater. He paused. Roman took out his phone and opened the UBER app. It was a pointless thing to do, since he could just catch a bus like the day before, but he opened the app on the off chance that a certain driver would be in the area. The "off chance" became an "on chance" as Virgil's car could be seen in range. Roman clicked to request a ride, although waiting for a bus or taxi would probably waste significantly less time. Nevertheless, he waited.  
A notification popped up saying that Virgil had accepted. Roman waited for the amount of time it would take for a normal person to do something productive, but he wasn't exactly a normal person, and he was perfectly content with that.  
"That's a first." He thought.  
Virgil's car drove up and Roman stepped inside.  
"Sorry to take so long." Virgil said. "My previous passenger was being particularly difficult. It'll affect my rating, no doubt."  
"It's fine. I'm sorry to hear about that; doesn't your job depend on your rating?"  
"Corporate says it doesn't, but it does. If I get fired, I'll just bounce back- get a new job."  
"What makes you say that?"  
"'Cause that's how I've been paying rent since I was 18."  
An uncomfortable silence permeated the air.  
"I'm sorry to hear that."  
"It's okay. Sorry to dump that on you, I've just been having a bad day."  
"Well, if it's any consolation, I think any day with you is a good day."  
Virgil blushed deeply.  
"Oh, um... th-thanks. Same to you." He felt an all-too-familiar buzz reverberate throughout his body, and the butterflies in his stomach felt like they were tugging on his insides.  
"Would you like to listen to any music?" Virgil asked, changing the subject. He gestured to the radio.  
"Sure."  
"What's your favorite kind?"  
"I like Disn-" Roman stopped himself. He didn't want to give Virgil the impression that he was some kind of "not-cool-dude." That would be awful. "I like a lot of different kinds of music. You can put on whatever you'd like." He said defensively.  
"You were about to say 'Disney songs,' yeah?" Virgil made a sly expression.  
Roman nodded sheepishly.  
"I see. Well, as for me, I like Disney songs. If you're okay with it..." Virgil procured a disc from a compartment in between the two front seats. "I'd like to put it on." The disc read "Disney Mix- Vol. 1"  
He inserted it into a CD slot and they jammed out. Roman had started humming and whisper-singing phrases to himself a few songs in. He couldn't help himself when "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid came on.  
"...Up where they walk,"  
"Up where they run," Virgil suddenly chimed in as he sang. Roman inexplicably didn't notice.  
"Up where they stay all day in the sun,"  
"Wandering free," He noticed this time, but didn't stop.  
"Wish I could be..."  
"Part of that world." They sang in harmony, both realizing what they were doing. The only appropriate response either one could think of was laughing.  
"Why do people go to karaoke bars if we can just do it here for free?" Roman joked. Virgil snickered and they relished in having a good laugh. There was something about that catharsis in sharing a good time with another human being that seemed to de-stress. Go figure.  
"You know Virgil..." He started as the mood calmed. "A couple of friends of mine from my home state are vacationing here over the weekend. We'll be hanging out, maybe have a sleepover if they don't get a hotel."  
He fixed Roman with a quizzical look.  
"You can join if you'd like. My friends would like you, I already can tell. It's totally up to you, though."  
Virgil thought for a while.  
"I guess so, if I won't be intruding..."  
"You absolutely won't."  
"Err, okay. You'll text me with the deets, yes?"  
Roman nodded and made an audible "Mhm."  
"Alright."  
The rest of the drive went smoothly, and they stopped at his destination.  
"Hey, Roman?"  
"Yes?"  
"I don't really tell people this very often, but I have a sort of nickname I sometimes go by. 'Virge.' You don't have to use it, I just thought you'd want to know."  
"'Virge.' It's cute; I really like it." Virge smiled, but quickly tried to hide it. "You can call me 'Ro.'"  
Ro smiled sincerely. "Oh, and... Five Stars." He said, getting his phone out and rating him.  
"Thanks. Five Stars." Virgil said as he repeated the motion.  
This would probably become a sort of inside joke, which he didn't really mind all that much. Roman left the car and Virgil drove off. He got out his phone again to check up on something.  
"Hey, Pat?" He asked, texting Patton. He was probably on the plane and couldn't use a phone, but he figured he'd try anyway.  
"Yeah?"  
"Did you get back with Lo?"  
"Yeah. He's okay with it. Are you still up for hosting us tomorrow?"  
"Of course."  
"Good, thanks again."  
"Oh, btw, would you guys mind if I brought a friend over?"  
"Not at all. The more the merrier! :)"  
"Okay, thx."  
"See you soon kiddo! Lo says hi/bye!"  
"Ro says hi/bye too."  
"Pat says hi/bye also! Have a good evening!"


	5. Chapter 5

Roman awoke to a particular sound emanating from his cell phone. For a moment, he thought he was receiving a call, but thank goodness he wasn't; he wasn't exactly the most "properly functioning" person at this time of day. Roman was confused, it was the weekend- why would his phone be... oh. He changed his tune as he realized what day it was.  
"Saturday." He said yawning. Roman stretched and changed out of his jammies. He couldn't go loafing around all day- there would be company soon. He had to dress to impress. Roman left his bedroom and entered the living room, intent on scrounging a semblance of energy for the day. It wasn't that hanging out with people drained his energy- quite the opposite, in fact, but he needed actual sustenance. He stopped however, to admire his handiwork. He had done a DEEP clean of the entire apartment last night, which was no small feat. Roman wasn't messy, per se, but he wasn't a neat freak either. That was Logan.  
He felt a twinge of sadness, thinking of how long it had been since he had seen his best friends. Though he wouldn't dare admit he missed Logan, he did. A lot. Patton too. Roman decided to defer those thoughts. That was a whole can of worms he did not have the time or patience to open. Besides, his new friend Virgil, or 'Virge' rather, (which he still found incredibly adorable, but didn't want to bring up in his company in fear of embarrassing the poor man), was turning out to be an interesting Irene, to say the least. Even though his name was Virgil, and not Irene.

Roman shuffled his way to the kitchen, and picked out some yogurt and granola. He'd have himself a little homemade parfait, as a treat for all his hard work yesterday. He turned on the television and busied himself with similar activities until Patton and Logan were due to arrive. Roman felt his phone vibrate.  
"Hi Ro! We've landed at the airport, so we should be at your place in an hour or two." Patton texted.  
"Hi, okay, can't wait to see you! :)" He responded.  
Roman was excitedly impatient. What would they do first? Not to mention that Virgil said he would come and they'd all have a sleepover. (He had to pull a lot of negotiation to orchestrate the whole thing, thank you very much.) Logan and Patton brought money to splurge, so he figured they could go sightseeing while it was still light out. If Virgil came early, they could all go together. The next hour was the longest hour of his life.  
*knock, knock*  
Roman jumped out of his seat and rushed to the peephole. Sure enough, there they were. He opened the door with extravagance.  
"ROMA-A-A-N!" Patton yelled, surging forward and tackling Roman with a hug.  
"Hello." Logan said plainly.  
"Oh, Patton, I'm so happy to see you! Come in, come in! Logan, you too."  
They walked in.  
"Thanks." Logan said.  
"Oh, wait." Roman stepped next to Logan. "The fare to enter is one hug." Patton watched, amused.  
"Goodness, will you be doing this the whole weekend? You know I'm not one for physical affection." Logan complained.  
"Haha, well, I wasn't, but thanks for the idea; I'll take you up on that. And I know, that's why I'm doing it."  
Logan grumbled. "I am very opposed to this."  
"You are not. There is no possible way you could hate hugs hanging out with Patton so often."  
Patton laughed, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "It's true."  
"Oh, hush."  
"Lo, you're not gonna come in 'til I get my hug." Roman said, determined. Logan made his disapproval of the situation immensely clear, but he wouldn't have it. He gave in. Logan stiffened and held out his arms in an inviting (but still practiced) fashion. Roman gave him a bear hug, and he responded with obligatory back-pats. "You two are cute when you get along." Patton pointed out. They detached.  
"We most definitely are not!" Roman huffed. Pat gave him a knowing glance. They unloaded their luggage.  
"Your apartment is visually pleasing, though the building's architecture is clearly some combination between Art Deco and Modern styles." Logan analyzed. "I prefer De Stijl, myself."  
"We like your apartment." Patton translated. He looked around. "I take it your friend isn't here yet?"  
"No, but he'll be here soon."  
"Oh, I can't wait to see them. Any friend of yours must be quite the fancy fella, huh?" Roman didn't know what he meant, so he brushed it off.  
"I suppose."  
"What was his name again?" Logan queried. "V- something?"  
"Virgil."  
"You mean UBER driver Virgil?" Patton interjected.  
"Uh, yeah."  
"I knew you two would hit it off!" Roman ignored that comment.  
"He should be here any minute."  


*knock, knock*  
The three turned towards the door.  
"He's rather punctual." Logan stated.  
"Hmm. Speak of the devil." Roman said as he curiously strode to the peephole. There he stood. Roman opened the door.  
"Virge!" He said, enthused.  
"Hey."  
Roman gestured inside. "Come on in; water's fine."  
"Thanks." Virgil ducked in.  
"Hello!" Patton waved. "Oh, my!" He gasped. "I love your highlights, what a handsome color! Oh, and your eye shadow, how striking! You have a wonderful sense of style, no wonder Roman's friends with you."  
"Hello." Logan summarized. "I'm Logan. This is my partner, Patton."  
"In crime, business, and significance." Patton interposed. "You can also call us Pat and Lo respectively, if you'd prefer."  
"Hey, and thanks, uh... Pat." He smiled.  
"Okay, well everyone get settled in..." Roman said with showmanship. "...And after, we can plan the best weekend in New York City, ever." Everyone on cue started or resumed unpacking.  
"You've always been one for theatrics, huh, Ro?" Patton asked.  
"Hmm, yes." Roman smiled. "Speaking of, I have some news."  
Patton and Logan looked up expectantly.  
"I got a... promotion of sorts recently."  
"Do tell." Patton said.  
"Well, long story short, my boss offered to make me an actor."  
"Really?" Logan asked, unconvinced.  
"Yes, really, Specs."  
"ROMAN!" Patton squealed. He rushed over and gave Roman another hug, but not as forceful as last time. Logan and Virgil watched, amused. "That's fantastic! I'm so happy for you!" Roman smiled, but, for a moment, he thought he heard an infinitesimal pause before the word "happy." He decided to think nothing of it. Patton detached.  
"We went over a lot of paperwork and I signed a contract, and now I just need an agent. My boss has it covered though, since apparently he has 'connections.' I should be a Broadway actor proper by sometime next week."  
Logan cleared his throat. "How come you hadn't told us sooner?"  
"Oh, out a sock in it, sourpuss." Roman said with a snide tone. "I meant to tell you guys earlier, but you're on vacation, and you're busy. I hadn't thought to bring it up until now." Roman had a penchant to call Logan names and tease, and they both knew it was in jest, but sometimes he felt a pang of guilt when provoking the man. He really did like Logan, and only feigned a rivalry. Patton always intervened when things between them got too out of hand, and helped Roman to be a bit more sensitive and friendly. Those guys were alright.  
Logan brought him out of his introspection. "The only places socks should go are on your person, in your laundry, which should be done regularly by-the-way, or neatly organized in clothing compartments." He jabbed a finger at an open luggage case. "Like so." He pointed to his clothes, all folded with precision. Patton took advantage of his momentary distraction and tiptoed to the case, unwrapping a sock bundle.  
"In any circumstance, Roman, I find your turns of phrase all-to-indicative of... wha-?" Patton took the sock and draped it over Logan's arm.  
"23-19! We got a 23-19!" Virgil called out.  
Everyone was silent, staring at him.  
"23-19, You know? From...Monsters, Inc.?" He blushed. "Uh, never mind."  
Patton adjusted his glasses. "A Disney lover, too?" He asked with an uncharacteristically grave tone. "He's a keeper!" Patton exclaimed. "As a representative of the Patton friendship committee, I extend to you a cordial invitation to join!" He told Virgil.  
Virge smiled. "I gratefully accept your cordial invitation."  
Logan took the sock from his arm and walked back to his luggage case, re-bundling it. "Now there's a third." He muttered.

The four exited the building, embarking on their tourism adventure after some time of rigorous debate on where to go. Compromises had to be made. They opted to use the subway as their means of transportation, much to Logan's behest. The group walked to the nearest subway station in a diamond formation- Roman in front, Logan and Patton beside each other, and Virgil in back. The formation was interrupted when Patton dropped behind. "Hello." He said cheerfully.  
"Hey, Pat." Virgil responded.  
"I noticed you were back here by yourself. Would you mind if I join you?"  
"I wouldn't mind." He admitted.  
"I hope Logan wasn't too off-putting..."  
"He wasn't. Not really. I mean, he seems a little..." Virgil looked at Logan in front of him. "...uptight, but I wouldn't say off-putting."  
"That's kind of you to say." Patton smiled. "I didn't mean to assume, it's just that he often gives a bad first impression. Can I tell you a secret?"  
"Sure."  
"He's really a sweet guy, inside. I don't personally understand why he chooses to be so robotic, but he has his reasons. Let's just say the Tin Man has a heart."  
"I see." Virgil said thoughtfully.  
"Roman is similar, in a way."  
"Oh?"  
"Neither of them would admit it, but they're actually more alike than they think. Ro's personality can seem a bit..."  
Patton took and index card out of his pocket and read it. "...'extra.'"  
Virgil raised an eyebrow. "Lo's vocab cards." He supplied. "But he's actually sensitive and humble. Or at least that's how I think of him."  
"Huh." Virge remarked, looking at Roman. They walked silently for a beat before Patton stepped forward.  
"I'm excited to see what all you have to show us." He picked up his pace to fall in line with Logan.  
"That was cryptic." Virgil said to himself.  
He took a deep breath and sped up as well, going around Patton and Logan and stepped next to Roman.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains an OC. (They are a minor/background character, and will not be of especial relevance to the overall plot.)  
> It's (the chapter is) also a shortie, but that's just a lapse.

The subway car was quiet. Only the shake of the car in the tunnel and a murmur of incoherent speech could he heard by anyone who might be listening intently. Patton, Logan, Roman and Virgil stood and sat in pairs; Patton and Logan in the first, Roman and Virgil in the second. They talked, whispering. Logan waited for a lapse in Roman and Virgil's conversation to speak up.  
"Apologies..." He said, addressing Virgil. "...But where exactly are we going, again?"  
Virgil made a haughty expression, half-smiling at his own joke. "Wouldn't you like to know?"  
"Yes, actually." Logan deadpanned. "That is the exact reason why I asked. You may want to refrain from talking to Roman, I can see he's 'rubbing off' on you."  
Roman gave Virgil a sideways glance, snerking. "Alright, alright." Virgil conceded. "We're going to a pet store in the Upper West Side. It's a favorite of mine."  
Logan blinked. "A pet store?" He asked calmly. "Will we be... purchasing domesticated animals?"  
"It's not a livestock trade, and no. We'll just be looking around." Virgil retorted, trying not to smile.  
"Are there, perhaps, more significant attractions in New York City than a pet shop?" Logan said with a hint of sarcasm. Patton listened in keenly.  
"Um. I guess, if you look at a map and squint. Unless you have enough money- then the whole thing is a wild goose chase for the next big thrill."  
"There must be some thing you know of we can do." He negotiated.  
"How about a compromise? We go to the pet shop first, and then we go sightseeing."  
"I'm not confident in your ability to discern tourist attractions from pet shops."  
"I've got a couple places in mind, I'll have you know. Even places you might like."  
"Such as?"  
"Roman tells me you have an interest in architecture and history. Lemme see... Empire State, Flatiron, Chrysler, Metropolitan Museum of Art... "  
Patton took Logan's arm. "Lo." He crooned. "Puppies and Kitties. I think we can reach an agreement."  
Logan mulled it over. "So be it." He decided. "But the visit to the pet shop should only be a minor detour."  
"Pleasure doing business with you."  


The bell above the pet shop door jingled merrily as a group of four came in. The shop was small, with a sort of "checkout" desk in the front, and pet cages in the back. The place was decorated in a warm, cheerful way despite its' size, and large windows let in strong rays of morning sunlight. The mixed hum of various animals in their daily doings could be heard- bashful chirps of chaste parakeets, content purrs of reserved cats, and endearing yawns of young dogs.  
"Hello, Virgil, dear." Said an elderly woman as she shuffled to the front desk. Her disposition matched the shop's near perfectly, down to the laugh lines etched into her face. "How may I help you boys?"  
"Hello, Ma'am. This is Roman, Patton, and Logan." Virgil pointed to each as they said their names. "We'll just be looking around." "Suit yourselves, but clean your hands thoroughly before touching anything." They washed their hands one at a time in a small sink mounted in the wall, and stepped over to the animal cages.  
"You two know each other?" Roman asked.  
"Yeah. We were friends, in a way, when I was younger. I used to come over and look at the cats, but I could never get one." He looked back at her. "She's a sweet lady."  
Roman rubbed his chin, pondering. "Was that the reason you wanted to stop by?"  
"That was part of it. I think you guys will like the animals, though."  
Logan and Patton hovered about, Patton taking the lead and making comments about each creature they passed. They primarily consisted of "look at that one"-s and "it's so cute"-s, as well as incoherent "aww"-s and "o-oh"-s. Logan perked up and addressed the shopkeeper.  
"These animals are remarkably well-mannered; they hardly make noise or, ah, malodorous offenses." He noted, a lilt of awe in his voice.  
"How keen of you to notice, young man. And I must say, what a charming vocabulary you have." Logan quarter-smiled (a facial expression he claimed to have invented in order to smile just slightly enough for his taste) bashfully.  
"Thank you, ma'am."  
"The behavior of these animals is really the only thing keeping the shop open, I'm afraid. They allow me to reasonably levy my prices, in order to stay ahead of the competition." Logan nodded in understanding.  
"Of course, that's strictly business. I find, however, that business isn't all strict- or all business." She said.

Patton let go of Logan and went over to Virgil.  
"Hi, Virge."  
"Hey, Pat."  
"Would you like to look at the cats?"  
"I figured you already did."  
"I saved them for last. Logan likes puppies more, for some reason, so he's gonna look at them with Roman." Patton leaned in. "I love puppies and kitties equally, myself." Virgil laughed silently as they walked to the cat area.  
"Roman said something in passing about you liking cats, is that right?"  
"Yeah. They can't keep their paws off me."  
"Do they now?" Patton asked, intrigued.  
"Just watch." Virgil said. He stooped down to the lowest cage, and looked at the cat inside. It approached the bars and held a paw out. Virgil took it gently, rubbing it. The cat retracted its' paw and stared up at him. He continued to play with it, the two having fun. The cat above approached the bars as well, and reached its' arms down, touching Virgil's back with its' paws. Patton resisted the urge to take a picture.

The four had resolved to leave and continue on their exploits. Just as they were about to leave, Virgil spoke up.  
"Hey, guys?" They turned to him.  
"Can I tell you all something?"  
"Sure." Roman stated, speaking for the group. Virgil's serious tone was a tad disquieting, so he figured he'd try and re-establish a casual tone. It was a coping mechanism of his.  
"Well, uh, I think maybe since we didn't- you know- 'buy' anything, we should leave a tip. All her extra proceeds go to the animals, so It'd be a help..." He trailed off sheepishly.  
"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Roman asked. "'Course we'll donate." He fished his wallet out of his pocket and submitted a courteous stack of green into a tip jar at the front desk. The others followed suit; Patton giving a generous amount and Logan giving reasonably. Virgil took out a sparing few bills and discreetly put them in, careful to hide how thin his wallet was. It was embarrassing, but it would be even more so if they found out exactly how much was in it, he thought. Spoiler alert: not much. They waved to the shop keeping woman and went to leave.  
"Virgil, dear?" She asked, causing him to turn as the three exited with a jingle.  
"Ma'am?"  
"Thank you for mentioning the tip. It means a lot." He avoided eye contact as the elderly woman hobbled up to him. She held a hand up and caressed his cheek. "Oh, you poor, sweet boy."  
He internally flinched at "poor," but he knew she only meant it kindly.  
"You're welcome."  
"I'll make sure you boys' tips will go to good use. Please, come back soon." Virgil put his hand on the door handle and turned to leave.  
"I will. I promise."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This is a flashback chapter*

The door opened timidly, bells clinking against the glass. An older woman shuffled to the front of the shop, preparing to extend a greeting to the customer. She stopped when faced with a familiar pre-teen in an oversized, torn purple hoodie.  
"Hello, Virgil." She said tenderly.  
"H-hi, ma'am."  
"Would you like to look around? Business is slow, so there aren't many new ones..."  
"That's fine. And, uh, yeah. I'd like to look around, if that's alright." She pursed her lips and gave him a doting smile.  
"It's alright, dear." Virgil washed his hands and shifted to the back as the lady went to the front desk and wrote in a small book, glancing at the cash register.  


Virgil sat cross-legged on the floor and played with a black kitten. He was so absorbed that the woman was hesitant to break his concentration.  
"Virgil, what's your favorite kind of animal?" The kitten lowered its' head and he brushed his fingers on it, eliciting a soft purr.  
"Cats are my favorite." Virgil said, not taking his eyes away from his playmate. She clicked her fingernails against the desk.  
"I can see why."  
"What's your favorite, ma'am?" The woman gazed at a newly-installed fish tank, conspicuously lacking in residents.  
"I like fish. Most people think they're boring, and I can understand that, but I see them as more... tranquil. There's something relaxing about watching them swim." He looked at the fish tank. A few of them swam around in a circle, or gracefully back and forth.  
"But I'm only a sentimental old woman. That's the thing about sentimental people..." The lady turned to him sadly. "Sometimes we see things for more than they appear. What they could be, instead of what they are."  
Virgil paused playing with the kitten and looked up at her.  
"I wouldn't say that."  
She raised an eyebrow.  
"What they could be is also a part of what they are." He explained. "I think things are a lot more than what they look like at face value; just because you see more in someone, or something, doesn't mean it isn't there." He froze and cast his eyes down to the floor. "A-at least that's my opinion."  
A smile re-formed on the woman's face. "Never change, dear."  
She blinked a few times and suddenly peered at him.  
"Your hoodie is in tatters." Virgil faced the kitten again, to be met with another in an adjacent cage jockeying for his attention.  
"It's too big for me, so it keeps getting caught on things. Fences, stuff like that." He continued to humor the kittens, ignoring the woman's stare.  
"Are you sure that's the only reason why?"  
Virgil blinked. "Yes, ma'am." She made a disgruntled frown, but it quickly melted. She decided she shouldn't press.  
"It's almost Winter, and I won't have you sporting those shreds and catching cold." The lady walked to a door in the very back, opening to a room Virgil hadn't seen before. A sign on the door said employees only, so he couldn't follow.  
"I have an idea, I'll just be a minute." She said as she went in.  


He could hear two people talking, but not what it was about. The woman re-entered with a young teenager behind her. He was about average height, and had a rather muscular upper body, which made him slightly imposing. The teenager grinned wholeheartedly at Virgil upon seeing him. He had a very nice smile, and seemed to emit a sort of friendly glow.  
"Hi! I take it you're Virgil?" He nodded. "I'm Thomas. It's nice to meet you."  
"Nice to meet you too."  
The woman cleared her throat. "So, Virgil, dear, this is Thomas. He volunteers here some days."  
"I help out with cleaning, organizing, those kinds of things."  
"He also knits little sweaters for the animals in his free time." She said with a sweet lull in her voice. "You should really see them- they're darling." Thomas blushed.  
Virgil's eyes darted between the two, trying to read the situation.  
"Kitten sweaters aren't exactly human hoodies, but they're basically the same thing." He winked.  
"Hmm. Yes." The lady remarked, slightly amused.  
"Anyway, he has some experience with sewing, so I think he should be able to mend it."  
Virgil examined his hoodie, covered in rips and a couple sizes too big.  
"I'm not sure. My parents might not..."  
"I'll have none of that." She interrupted. "Your parents would probably prefer it to be mended than having to buy a new one, don't you think?"  
"Uh, I guess so, but..."  
"If they don't like it, I'll pay the cost back in full." He tapped his fingers together nervously.  
"If you say so..." Virgil took off his hoodie, and handed it to the woman.  
"Thomas, hon..." She gave it to him. "...see about the sewing machine. It's old, but it'll get the job done. How long should you say you'll be working on it?"  
"Will there be much work today?"  
"No, I want you to focus on this." Thomas held up the hoodie and looked it over.  
"I'll need some fabric and thread, but it's doable. I should have it fixed by tomorrow morning." Virgil stared at him incredulously.  
"By tomorrow? You can work that fast?"  
"Anything's possible if you put your mind to it." He said, tapping his temple. "And have a machine that streamlines the process, but that's beside the point."  


The next day, Virgil came in early, to still have time before school.  
"Hi, Ma'am." He greeted as he rushed in. "Is the, err, hoodie ready yet?"  
She looked sideways. "Yes. Thomas would like to speak to you about it for a moment, though."  
The lady raised her voice to get attention in the back room. "Thomas, dear! Virgil is here!"  
A muffled "Coming!" emitted from the place in question.  
Thomas emerged from the back room, his eyes looking as if they took all their belongings on a round-trip across the globe. He held the hoodie behind his back, so Virgil couldn't get a good look at it.  
"I stayed up last night to finish it. All the fabric stores were closed, so I had to get material from the supermarket." He paused for a beat. "They didn't have the right kind, so I had to take some, ah, artistic liberties." Thomas' face turned a slight pink. "I also didn't realize I used the wrong color thread until I was halfway through. I, um... I made a little patch to go with it. I usually do that for the cat sweaters, so I guess it was just force of habit."  
He pulled the hoodie out from behind his back. It was a patchwork disaster of white thread, black patches, and purple material. It was topped off with a little storm cloud patch on the lapel area.  
"I figured you might think the storm cloud one was cool, based on what she told me about you." He gave Virgil a desperate look. "I'm sorry I botched your hoodie, I'll buy you a new one."  
Virgil stared at him, and then the hoodie, regarding it for a second.  
"No, I love it!" He excitedly took it from Thomas's hands and put it on. Virgil pored over it, admiring the handiwork.  
"Oh, th-thank you."  
"I need to get back home." He said rapid-fire, turning on his heel to leave in a hurry. "Thanks again!"  
Virgil opened the door and left, hearing the lady ask Thomas how his theater classes were going before the door shut, and he jogged home.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's short!  
> Also, I will not be detailing their tours in this story. If requested, I might write that as a separate work.  
> Thanks for your patience.

Virgil caught up with the others.  
"Hey. Where've you been?" Roman greeted.  
"I was talking to the shop keep. Sorry to hold you guys up."  
"No problem." Patton said. The group entered the subway yet again.  
"So, where to now?" Logan asked with slight impatience.  
"Come now, Lo, you enjoyed the pet shop didn't you?"  
"Perhaps slightly..." He admitted. "...But nevertheless the point of coming to New York City was to tour places of note. My notepad is blank."  
"You don't have a notepad." Roman pointed out, teasing.  
"It was a figure of speech, and I've been using those more frequently to accommodate your antics with my contempt. Mimicking my observation of phenomena directly in opposite of something someone says is a rather unoriginal source of humor, I must say. But if you can't handle my...." Logan reached into his pocket and shuffled through a number of notecards in a flash. "...'fire' analytical content, then perhaps you should apply a damp cloth to your upper epidermis because you have been..." He glanced down at his notecards again. "...'burn'-ed." Virgil and Patton giggled to themselves, and Roman looked at Logan defiantly.  
"I'm glad to see you've taken a liking to my notecard idea. See how good you're getting?" He said patronizingly. Logan stood down, blushing.  


They rode the subway again, still quiet.  
"Hey, Virge?" Patton asked inching closer to him.  
"Yeah?"  
"I was thinking we could feed two birds with one seed and get some breakfast at a sightseeing place, how about it?"  
"It's a little early for breakfast, so how about brunch? Also, 'feed two birds with one seed?'"  
"We can do brunch, and it's my version of 'kill two birds with one stone.' I find that saying unnecessarily violent, so I improved it."  
"Huh." Virgil said. "Well, maybe we could go to a café in Little Italy? We're already going to Battery Park, so we can work our way up, if it's okay to wait."  
"That sounds nice. And yes, we're fine with waiting." Patton stepped back to his spot near Logan. Roman scooted a little closer to Virgil to start up a conversation. (That was the only reason, of course.)  
"Thanks for coming with us. I know it was a little short notice."  
"You're welcome. Thanks for inviting me; I'm having a good time." Roman stole a glance at his friends.  
"I like your friends." Virgil said. "Patton's nice, and Logan is, um. Unique."  
"That's good. I had a feeling you'd take a liking to them." Virgil nodded.  
"Oh, and another thing. I noticed you seemed to be deciding where we go, but I don't want you to be pressured. Maybe we can come up with a plan for where to go?" Roman asked.  
Virgil thought for a minute. "Sure. I was thinking we use Midtown as a median line? Lower Manhattan today, Upper Manhattan tomorrow?"  
"Sounds good."  
"Oh, Patton asked about food. I said we could get brunch in Little Italy, since we'll be going to The Battery and working our way up. What do you think?"  
"Yeah, I like that. Isn't brunch one of those things that rich people and upper-middle class suburban moms do?" Virgil laughed.  
"Yes, it is. I figured we'd treat your friends to some haute-couture dining."  
Roman smirked. "Only the best. Onto The Battery!" he called, making a heroic pose.  
No one looked; weirder things have happened in a Manhattan subway.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As stated in the previous chapter, I will not be detailing the events of the Manhattan sightseeing. I may write that as a separate work if requested.

Roman tiredly got up from the couch. It was late, and the television glowed a dull blue, illuminating the living room in his apartment. Patton, Logan, Virgil, and himself had gotten back from the hustle-and-bustle of touring Manhattan, and the four had been so exhausted they collapsed on the sofa, lulling to sleep one after the other. Patton fell asleep first, and Logan woke him. They excused themselves and retired to the guest bedroom. Virgil had likely gone to sleep too, considering the soft snore coming from his curled-up body and steady rise and fall of his chest. Roman couldn't sleep.  
He regarded the man, a warm feeling spreading through his chest and a little smile forming on his lips. Roman padded over to the window and opened it a crack, letting a cool stream of night air in. He sat down in front of it and crossed his legs, vaguely listening to whatever program was showing on TV; the volume nearly muted. The warm feeling in his chest was replaced with a cold, sick feeling, sinking like lead into his stomach. It reverberated throughout his body, and pricked behind his eyes. He heard soft footsteps approach him.  
"Are you okay?" Virgil asked.  
"I thought you were asleep. Sorry if I woke you."  
"I'm a light sleeper; I felt the temperature drop when you opened the window."  
Roman sighed shakily, blinking out forming pools at the bottom of his vision. "I'm fine."  
Virgil looked at him skeptically. "Are you sure?"  
"Yes." He barely whispered.  
Virgil sat down next to him, and rested his hand on Roman's. Roman stared at the window and said nothing, taking Virgil's in his. He drew out a weak breath.  
"Can I show you something?"  
"Sure." Roman rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, and shimmied a circle of string down his arm. He held it out for Virgil to inspect. He took it in his free hand. It was a red woven band of old, loose thread, and held two white beads side by side. They were embossed with "R" and "O" in black lettering.  
"Patton made that for me, years ago. I wear it when I miss him. I miss him a lot." Virgil's face was unreadable.  
"Hmm?" He questioned.  
"It's just... seeing Logan and him back, after so long..." Roman wiped at his eyes again. "Maybe I should explain."  


"Patton and Logan are childhood friends from back in Florida. I loved them, and I still do. After high school, I wanted to go to college to be an actor. Broadway was always my dream, and I moved out here on the slim chance I'd see it come true."  
A tear rolled down his cheek. "We didn't keep in touch when I moved here, not really. Almost every night I can't get to sleep 'cause I'm thinking of them. Of how I just... abandoned them." Virgil handed back the bracelet tenderly.  
"You didn't abandon them. They're here, aren't they? They're here to see you."  
Roman paused and another tear fell down. He trembled slightly. "They're here, yeah, but I did abandon them. I couldn't make it big in our little town in Florida; Community college couldn't get me anywhere. Truth was, I felt trapped there. Abandoned strip malls, trashy streets, rusty metal everywhere... I couldn't take it. I got so caught up in trying to chase my dream I left my friends behind."  
"Virgil inched slightly closer to Roman for reassurance. "They're here now. They never forgot about you, and they still love you." He felt some wetness behind his eye. "We all lo-" He caught himself. "We're all here for you, Roman."  
He was quiet. "Thank you. I needed to hear that."  
"Now that you showed me that, I think I should show you something." Virgil said. He got up and made his way to a bag in the corner, taking out a large mass of fabric.  
"A friend of mine fixed this hoodie when I was around twelve-ish. It was all ripped up, but he spent all night on it. He even made me a little patch." He gave Roman the hoodie to look at.  
"I use it as a pillow or blanket sometimes... when I get lonely." Roman nodded, feeling the patchwork.  
"To be honest..." Virgil confessed. "...The last time I used it was the night before I met you." He fixed him with a sad stare and handed it back.  
"Can you still wear it?"  
"I haven't actually worn it in years, but..." He unfolded the hoodie and thoughtfully rubbed the stitching with his thumb. Virgil put it on and started choking up.  
"What's wrong?" Roman asked worriedly, getting up.  
He made a few rhythmic humming sounds, like laughter, and wiped his eyes with his wrist. "It still doesn't fit."  
The two laugh-cried together, and Roman suddenly hugged his friend.  


"Wha-?"  
"Can I tell you something stupid?"  
"Nothing you can say will make me think you're stupid."  
Roman smiled. "Thanks. Are you sure I can tell you, though? I don't want things to get weird."  
Virgil was concerned what he meant by weird, but also a little excited. "We're two grown men crying over friendship bracelets and hoodies- it's already weird."  
They laughed, a hint of sad lull in their whispering voices still present.  
"I love you."  
Virgil's heart stopped cold. What? Did he hear that right? He definitely heard that right. The butterflies in his stomach got restless and goose bumps ran up and down his arms.  
"Like, as a friend?"  
"No." Roman said, looking him straight in the eye. "I mean I have a crush on you. In other words, I like-like you."  
Virgil felt as if he were a porcelain doll standing precariously on a ledge, and a brick was about to precision-strike him, or as if he were a fresh grenade about to go off in a fireworks shop. He couldn't come up with any metaphor or simile, or any machination of the English language that could describe in perfect likeness all the mixed emotions which he felt at this time. His heartbeat had gone beyond the confines of any physical measurement and his brain could only register one thought. One burning, tingling thought that permeated his body and forced its' way put of his mouth.  
"I love you too. Or, in other words, I like-like you too."  
Neither one had thought up beyond that, evidently.  
"D-Do you want to... l-like... kiss?"  
They both thought, faces red and hot, minds busy with over a million thoughts all at once, and a tingling through their bodies as if all the static electricity in a carpet and rug warehouse were jolted in a stream into their bodies.  
"If you're fine with it... I-I think I'd like to."  
Their lips came together, and they embraced. It was like they were parchment, soaked in kerosene and held over an open fire, somewhere on a cool night under a starlit sky. They both tried to recreate what they so often seen and heard and read about, but fell into something more natural and real. The inner halves of them hoped they would never have to let go, never have to let time move on from this one, infinitesimal and yet so totally eclipsing moment... but their outer halves let go in tandem.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short one.

"What now?" The question stilled the air as soon as it was asked. Neither of the men knew what exact they should do next, standing there in front of a window above the streets of Manhattan, staring at each other. Faint wet lines ran down their cheeks, but they weren't sad. Now, here, everything seemed to stop, and, just for a moment, they saw each other as if one eye had been closed their entire lives, and had now been opened. It was all laid bare- the theater, the job, the city, the past, the future- they could see it all in front of them and behind them, coming in all directions like a dust bowl gust of wind, but they were as statues, eternally facing each other, studying each other. The silence didn't feel oppressive anymore, and the darkness, perhaps, just a little bit lighter.  
"I don't know." He said honestly. Neither knew, neither really cared.  
"Me neither. But I have an idea." Roman walked to the other side of the room and slipped his shoes on. "Come with me. It'll only be a minute."  
Virgil went over and put his shoes on. "Where are we going?"  
"I'll show you."  
They left the apartment quietly, discreetly making their way to the elevator. Roman pushed the highest button, and they ascended.  
"The roof?"  
"Mhm." He nodded.  
"Can we be up there?" Virgil asked.  
"Technically yes."  
The elevator door opened to the roof, and they stepped out. Pots and planting boxes of flowering perennials, ferns, and ornamental grasses were organized in neat rows on tiny metal platforms, outlining the traversable area of the roof. Their silhouettes were distinct against the vaguely moonlit concrete floor, but the lights of the city shining and reflecting from down below and high above cast glittering spotlights on the scene before them.  
"Wow." He said in a hushed voice.  
"I've only ever been up here once." Roman explained. "Someone comes up here every day and tends to these plants, would you believe it? They're stunning." He looked back at Virgil, who was admiring a distinct set of lilacs. "Apologies if this seems a bit, err, shady. I just wanted to show you this."  
"Anything anyone does in the middle of the night is shady anyway. But I'm glad we came up here."  
Roman shifted and headed towards one of the sides of the roof, a wall section coming up to mid-chest level. "Over here." He coaxed. Virgil walked next to him to see. The view from the roof of the building was spectacular, as the buildings around it were around the same height or smaller or taller. They could see everything- the imposing skyscrapers in the distance, the street upon street upon street of brick and metal and people and light was intoxicating, and their eyes strained to pour every single detail into their minds before it would move or change. The fervor of their eyes slowly faded as the incoming tiredness they had been avoiding seeped back into consciousness.  
Virgil tapped his fingers in the wall, and addressed the elephant on the roof, so to speak.  
"Are we a thing?"  
Roman chuckled inwardly. "Are-we-an-item?" He muttered to himself in a musical tone. "I despise that song." Roman thought for a moment. "Do you want to be?"  
"I think so."  
"I think so too."  
Now that the first elephant was gone, Virgil addressed the second one. Why there were two elephants on a roof, Virgil couldn't say. He hoped they wouldn't compromise the structural integrity of the building; that'd be a real bummer.  
"Should we tell the others?"  
"It would be kind of awkward if they didn't know, I suppose."  
"True, true."  
The men walked back to the elevator, ready to go to bed.  
"I'll take the couch." Virgil said. Roman okay-ed.  
They got back into the apartment silently and went off to prepare for bed.  
"Hey, Roman?"  
"Yeah?"  
Virgil took off his hoodie and put it in Roman's hands.  
"In case you get lonely tonight."  
Roman smiled and took off his bracelet, handing it to him.  
"In case you miss someone tonight."


	11. Chapter 11

The day started out cold, both outside and in. A lofty north wind blew smoky gray clouds high in the sky and brown and orange-tinged leaves in the streets. Autumn had apparently decided to arrive today, carried by the breeze and the seasonal premonition of days past. It had been drawing in slowly, moderately, but this day of the year was both the final note of the prelude and the first note of an ominous yet invigorating song. Yes, it was the beginning of Fall.  
Roman had woken up before the others today, and decided to take a quick shower. He traversed the living room to the sofa, where Virgil lay sleeping. Roman could hear him ever-so-softly snoring, again like last night. He stood there for a moment, his frame slightly bent toward the man. Roman realized he had put on Virgil's hoodie from last night, and he hastily took it off, conscious not to make any noise that may disturb. He folded it and set it on the coffee table in front of him.  
"I love you." Roman whispered out, a warm feeling welling up in his chest. He stepped over in the direction of the bathroom.  
"Love you too." Virgil said sleepily, as he made a small stretch and got comfortable again.  
...  


Roman finished his shower and went back out to the living room. Virgil was up, and flipping through television channels. News. Sports. News. Gardening. News. Cartoons. News.  
"You're awake."  
"Barely." He said, wiping his face with his hand.  
"Anything on?"  
"Nope." Virgil turned his head toward him.  
"Would you mind if I freshen up?"  
"I don't mind. Towels are in the closet to the left, hard to miss; I left the door open." Roman called out as he plopped down on the sofa. He turned to a creative channel (art, travel, stuff like that) for background noise.  
...  


Virgil freshened up, and the others eventually awoke and went in succession to see about their morning rituals. He had come out after Roman, Patton after him, and Logan last, since he was so concise in his daily schedule. Virgil had left the bathroom and joined Roman in his seat. His hair was damp but combed, and his newly applied eyeshadow was prominent against his pale foundation.  
"Nice sunglasses." Roman noted.  
"Oh, stop!" Virgil complained, lightly tapping his forearm in a mock attempt at a punch.  
"Struck in my very prime!" He cried out. "Who shall avenge my untimely demise at the hands of this insidious foe?"  
"Come on, Princey."  
"How dare you use such uncomely language in the midst of thine liege, thou peasant!" Roman joked.  
"A peasant and a prince, how scandalous!" Virgil gave him a peck on the lips. He took something out of his pocket. "Here's your bracelet back, by the way."  
"Thanks." Roman obliged and took the bracelet back, fastening it to his wrist. The two waited for the others to finish their respective showers as they watched a revamped run of "The Joy of Painting." The brushstrokes on the canvas and brass voice of the host were like beatings of a gong in the content silence.  
"I'm gonna go make coffee. Would you like some?" He asked as he got up and strolled to the kitchen.  
"Yeah. Do you have creamer?"  
Roman nodded. "French vanilla."  
"Can I get a second on that?" Patton asked as he walked into the room. His glasses were slightly foggy and the cat hoodie tied loosely around his neck was slightly wrinkled, but other than that, he was chipper as usual.  
"Cinnamon too?"  
"You know how I like it!"  
"Coming right up." Roman began to open the kitchen door before Patton stopped him.  
"Could you make some for Logan too? I'm sure he'd like it."  
"Sure. How does he take it again?"  
"A quarter creamer, stirred in a figure-eight motion." Patton recited by memory.  
"Why didn't I guess?" Roman asked sarcastically, and went in.  
...  


He came out of the kitchen perfectly balancing two mugs and setting them on the coffee table, obtaining another two and setting them down also. Logan was done with his shower in a satisfyingly punctual time, so the congregation of the four was, for this morning, at last convened.  
Roman stood and spoke to his three guests. "Virgil and I have something to tell you guys."  
Virgil glanced between Roman and Logan and Patton. "Don't rope me into this." He muttered, trying to relieve the sudden tension.  
Roman smirked and extended a hand, pulling Virgil upward before he could sip his coffee.  
"We have, err..."  
"Mutually agreed." Virgil suggested. Logan watched this unfold with bewilderment, Patton with curiosity and a knowing glint in his eye.  
"...To become a couple. Romantically."  
There was no shock or awe from either Patton nor Logan. The latter stared blankly, and the former took a slow sip of his cinnamon-vanilla coffee.  
"Everyone was kind of expecting it." Patton supplied stoically.  
"It was really only a matter of time before you'd tell us, I gathered." Logan said in support.  
"However..." Patton started. "This is such wonderful news!" He got up in a flash and hugged Roman and Virgil before they could dodge.


	12. Chapter 12

The day had gone by too fast, in their opinion. The quartet had tried so desperately to fit any and everything they could do in the hours before Patton and Logan would leave for the airport, but time and tide waited for no man. The four got back to Roman's apartment and reluctantly started packing. There was a melancholy that set in, and would likely stay and even increase in the wake of Patton and Logan and Virgil's departures. Patton fixed Roman with a sad smile.  
"It was so good seeing you again." He said, teary-eyed. "Hope we can do it again sometime."  
"Likewise, and of course."  
Patton turned to Virgil. "And it was a pleasure meeting you."  
"Same goes to you."  
"If you wouldn't mind..." He got out a piece of paper and another hidden object from his pocket, clenched in his fist. "My number's on the paper, in case you'd ever like to get in touch with us, and..." Patton unfurled his hand and placed the object in Virgil's. It was a purple yarned bracelet with five black beads interwoven on the front. The beads were embossed with white lettering, spelling out "V-I-R-G-E."  
"I made this for you last night. You dont have to wear it or anything, but consider it a gift from us." He said, pointing to Logan and himself.  
"Speaking of gifts, here's something for you as well." Logan spoke in Roman's direction. He produced a thick cookbook from his donned backpack and handed it to him. "I know Patton's the real culinary expert here..." Patton blushed. "But we got this for you in case you'd like to take up cooking. Patton even put in some notes on how to improve certain recipes and such."  
Logan suddenly hugged Roman. "This is a goodbye hug, for sentimental reasons." He said flatly, with a crack of sadness in his voice.  
"Whatever, brainiac." Roman responded in turn, the same lilt of held-back tears in his voice as well. Patton hugged Roman and Virgil again, a streak of water coming swiftly down his cheek, and they left.  
...  


"I should get back to my place, too." Virgil said quietly. "Work in the morning."  
Roman smiled wistfully. "Can I walk you down to the lobby?"  
"There's not much walking to do in an elevator, but I'll allow it."  
They walked to the elevator and were stopped by a voice they could somewhat recognize, but faded slightly, like a hazy memory, not sure if a dream or reality.  
"All that running around the building and not once even stopping and saying 'hello' to an elderly woman- how shameful." The old woman from the pet shop appeared behind them, a smile on her face and a joking manner about her.  
"How long have you lived here?" Virgil asked incredulously.  
"A few months or so, give or take. You two have noticed my, ah, little 'project' on the roof, yes?"  
The two blushed.  
"How did you know?"  
"I have my secrets." The old woman became serious. "I have something to tell you two."  
Roman and Virgil nodded expectantly.  
"My shop went out of business. It was either shut down or sell, so I went the second route." She paused, noting the discomfort on Virgil's face. "Don't worry, dear. I got a very generous offer from a certain someone you'll remember." The old lady turned to Roman. "You should know him, too; he never stops talking about you."  
She left and Roman and Virgil stood for a moment, asking a question and yet not moving their mouths.  
"You know Thomas?"  



	13. Chapter 13

Being in the theatre seemed so alien now. Though he was only gone from it for a weekend, it seemed like an eternity. The air was fresh, and carried a happy, clean feeling that came with new beginnings. Everything about the venue seemed to foreign to Roman- the spotlights shone brighter, the curtains were a deeper, passionate red, and the hardwood onstage gleamed with a rustic antiquity. A tech crew member paced toward him, getting his attention.  
"Roman, I presume?" They asked impatiently.  
"'Tis I."  
"Acting types..." They muttered under their breath. "The director would like to see you in his office promptly."  
"Alright." Roman said, slightly trembling with excitement.  
"Excellent." They said unenthusiastically. "His office is upstairs, follow the floor plan sign if you get lost." With that, they swiftly left. Roman made his way to Thomas' office.  
...  


"Roman!" He yelled with a radio-announcer voice when Roman had barely stepped inside.  
"Thomas?"  
"This is my associate, Mx. Stokes." Thomas introduced the other in the room. They were dressed smartly, but had a casual sort of charisma that made them look like they could make you laugh at any given moment.  
"Hello."  
"Hello, Roman. Call me Joan!" They said in the same radio voice as Thomas. Oh boy.  
"Joan here is a talent agent I contracted for just your case. We just need to get some red tape formalities outta the way and bam!- you're a Broadway actor, tried and true." Thomas gestured to Joan and opened a black suitcase, containing a nest stack of official papers. "You'll have to make a few signatures, but nothing we can't clear up in a few minutes." He stared at Roman, taking a pen from his pocket and holding it out. "How do you feel?"  
Roman honestly didn't know. He had been doing that a lot recently, not knowing. There was a discomfort to the unknown, but an excitement nevertheless. What would happen now, he thought. The wall between his present and future was now reduced to a mere signature. Sign. Don't sign. Sign. What would Virgil do? What would Patton do? What would Logan do? What would Thomas, the man right in front of him, staring with the patience of a man who could have seen every ice age the world ever produced, do? Don't sign. Sign. Don't...  
What would Roman do? He asked himself.  
What will Roman do? He asked again.  
Roman took the pen and signed his name with a flourish.  
That's what he'd do. He thought finally.  
"An excellent choice, if I may say so, Roman! You will not be disappointed! Tomorrow's your first day, so take these..." Another fat stack of papers seemed to apparate with the merest flick of Thomas' hand. "...Home with you today and read them over. If we play our cards right, soon enough you'll be a star!" Joan surged toward Roman and held out his hand.  
"It'll be a pleasure, I'm sure." Roman took the handshake in kind, and shook his boss' hand as well.  
"Oh, and Roman?" Thomas asked before he opened the office door.  
"Yes?"  
"Tell Virgil I said hi, okay?" Roman was taken aback; he suspected Virgil knew him, but it was still jarring.  
"How did you know we were-"  
"I have an insider, you may know her. Gardens on roofs in her free time?" Thomas said with a sly but happy smile.  
"Uh, yeah, I will."  
"Thanks."  
...  


The day ended, and Roman took his last look around as a the "coffee guy." He left the building the same way he always came in- full of wonder. Wonder for what the future would bring and what was already right in front of him, waiting to be grasped. Roman took out his cell phone.  
"Got the new job!"  
"Great! You need a ride home? I'm in your area."  
"Sure."  
"I love you."  
"I love you too. :)"  
"Be there in a bit."  
...  


Roman waited a few minutes, and texted something he forgot to say earlier.  
"By the way, Thomas says hi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the end. Thank you for being so patient, I know, It's a lot of chapters. Also, thank you for reading; It means the world to see you guys' gals' and non-binary pals' hits, kudos, bookmarks, and comments.


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